CTI

Computer Telephone Integration CTICTI is already quite normal nowadays. Simply calling a number with a mouse click from an internal customer database or the Internet have become common everyday actions. CTI now takes a big step closer towards unified communications.

General
CTI describes the combination of the world of telecommunications with the world of information technology (IT). CTI can be used to establish, accept and terminate calls directly from computer programs. What’s more, talks can also be switched and conference connections established with CTI by means of call back and call forwarding. Typical CTI programs show the user all statuses of his telephones, irrespective of whether these are corded or mobile DECT phones. Integration with the data processing world can take place on several levels: integration of data services, integration on an application level and in the user interfaces..

From the point of view of CTI, a basic differentiation is made between two architectures, whereby mixed variants are also possible: 1st-party CTI for standalone systems and 3rd-party CTI for networked workstations.

Functions
Thanks to perfect integration in the company’s internal IT infrastructure, caller data such as company, surname, first name, last orders, turnover figures and other information can be shown even before the call is answered. Every employee is shown the presence information from the email system (Outlook, Lotus Notes, Groupwise, etc.) for internal availability. This means that you can see who is busy, free, out of the office or on holiday at all times. But you can do more than just make a phone call – click on an employee’s icon to send him or her an email directly.
Very practical!

Further advantages become important for users when talk turns to innovative CTI: services such as instant messaging (chat), video conferences and document sharing are controlled from one and the same CTI. This makes work easier because several programs do not have to be opened simultaneously. All of the services are available in a single CTI program. This bringing together of various services within the CTI interface is called ‘one-interface’.

But that’s not all. More and more laptops, smartphones and tablets are in being used on account of the increasing mobility. Modern CTI applications go a step further and are available when you are out and about – anytime – anywhere!